Ex-JUDAS PRIEST Drummer Denies Sex Charges
Ananova (www.ananova.com) has issued the following update in the case of former JUDAS PRIEST drummer Dave Holland, who has been accused of sexually abusing a 17-year-old youth with special needs who visited his home for lessons.
The article at Ananova states: An ex-drummer with Judas Priest sexually assaulted a teenage boy while the special needs youngster was visiting his house for drum lessons, a court was told.
David Holland faces one charge of attempted rape and five counts of indecent assault on the teenager, who had special needs.
All of the alleged offences are said to have taken place between June and December 2002.
Holland's co-accused, Spiros Laouitaris, 22, faces four separate indecent assault charges on the same teenager. Holland, 55, of The Green, Stoke Bruerne, Northants, and Laouitaris, of Bourne Crescent, Kings Heath, Northampton, deny all the charges.
Opening the prosecution case at Northampton Crown Court, Maria Savvides told the jury the accusations came to light in December 2002 when the teenager, who is now 18 but cannot be named for legal reasons, told his parents in a letter of his abuse while staying at Holland's house for drum lessons.
Miss Savvides said the boy's parents had encouraged the drum lessons in order to improve their son's self-esteem. Because of the growing relationship between teacher and pupil, they had allowed their son to stay over at his home on a number of occasions.
The teenager gave a video statement to police in which he outlined the assaults and the attempted rape during the seven months he visited Holland's house. He also alleged that Laouitaris joined in assaults and forced him to perform assaults during the same period.
The trial, before Judge Charles Wide QC, heard the teenager had suffered problems at school from an early age and took part in a number of activities to improve his learning difficulties.
Miss Savvides said: "The complainant is a young lad who from an early age had experienced problems and learning difficulties. His parents were at great pains to find activities that would help him with his own self esteem. Drum lessons was something he could do and that he was happy with."
Holland joined Judas Priest in 1979 and played with them for the next 10 years in their heyday.
The article at Ananova states: An ex-drummer with Judas Priest sexually assaulted a teenage boy while the special needs youngster was visiting his house for drum lessons, a court was told.
David Holland faces one charge of attempted rape and five counts of indecent assault on the teenager, who had special needs.
All of the alleged offences are said to have taken place between June and December 2002.
Holland's co-accused, Spiros Laouitaris, 22, faces four separate indecent assault charges on the same teenager. Holland, 55, of The Green, Stoke Bruerne, Northants, and Laouitaris, of Bourne Crescent, Kings Heath, Northampton, deny all the charges.
Opening the prosecution case at Northampton Crown Court, Maria Savvides told the jury the accusations came to light in December 2002 when the teenager, who is now 18 but cannot be named for legal reasons, told his parents in a letter of his abuse while staying at Holland's house for drum lessons.
Miss Savvides said the boy's parents had encouraged the drum lessons in order to improve their son's self-esteem. Because of the growing relationship between teacher and pupil, they had allowed their son to stay over at his home on a number of occasions.
The teenager gave a video statement to police in which he outlined the assaults and the attempted rape during the seven months he visited Holland's house. He also alleged that Laouitaris joined in assaults and forced him to perform assaults during the same period.
The trial, before Judge Charles Wide QC, heard the teenager had suffered problems at school from an early age and took part in a number of activities to improve his learning difficulties.
Miss Savvides said: "The complainant is a young lad who from an early age had experienced problems and learning difficulties. His parents were at great pains to find activities that would help him with his own self esteem. Drum lessons was something he could do and that he was happy with."
Holland joined Judas Priest in 1979 and played with them for the next 10 years in their heyday.
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